Snap-switch.



R. B. BENJAMIN.

SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20, 1,915

Patented Feb. 4,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1:

R. B. BENJAMIN.

' SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-20.1916.

1,293,309, Patented .F eb. 1, 1919 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- M (ByWIW WT'M,

OF CHICAGO,

SNAP-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at hicago, in the county ofCook and State of llinois, have invented new and useful Improvements inSnap-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, andexact description, reference'being had to the accompanying drawing,forming a part of this specification. My invention relates to animproved snap switch in which arcing when the contact is broken isreduced to a minimum, and which will be simple in construction andefficient in use.

In the accompanying drawings, in which twov embodiments of my inventionare shown;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a key socket,

parts being broken away to show the interior construction.

Fig. 2 is an axial section of part of the socket on the line 22 of Fig.4.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an axial section on the line 4-4 p of Fig. 2.'

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detail end view of aratchet sleeve.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail view of part ofthe key sha Fig. 10 is an end view of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view of part of a socket, showing amodified form of switch.

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view showing the key shaft of Fig. 11.

F 1g. 13 is a detail view showing the manner in which the springcontacts are secured on the shaft of Fig. 12. Referring now to thedrawlngs in detail,

' my invention is shown in connection with a key socket 15 comprisingthe casing 16 and shell and center contacts an insulating base 17 rsupporting the 18 and 19 respectively, and the snap switch mechanism 20.

The socket has the usual bushing 21 for con'-.

nectionwi'th a conduit, the usual fiber lining 22 for insulating thecasing, and the usual the base by means of a shoulder 23 for retainingthe base 17 in position. The center contact 19 is held in place on thebase 17 by means of a reinforcing and binding plate'24 into which isthreaded the retaining screw 25 and the binding screw 26. he snap switchmechanism 20 com.- prises an shaft 28, fixed substantially flat contactsand 31 cooperating with the spring contact 29, and a combined retainingand ratchet member 32 for holding the spring contacts 29 in place on theshaft 28 and for engagement with the ratchet members on the shaft Theshaft 28 is rotatably mounted in a bearing plate 33 secured to the base17 ('Fig. 4). v

Each spring contact 29 comprises a semicircular 28, and a bent-springcontact portion 35 for erilgagement with the contacts "30 and 31.

ese ca'tes and are formed in the same dies. The retaining and ratchetmember 32 may be formed of sheet metal into a cup shape (Figs. 7 and 8),provided 'with an opening 36 through which the shaft 28 passes and withopposed slots 37 through which the spring contact portions 35 extend.The edge of the cup portion is provided with opposite ratchet teeth 38which engage corresponding ratchet teeth 39 on the key shaft 28. he cupportion of the member 32 embraces the semicircular portions 34 of thespring contacts spring 40 is provided, having an opening which receivesa reduced portion 41 of the key shaft. This bow spring is secured to thekey shaft by riveting over the end of the key shaft at 42 (Fig. 6).

The fixed contact 31 is secured to the base 17 by means of a screw 43which also assists in holding the shell contact on the base. The otherside of the shell contact is secured to screw 44 and nut 45. are locatedin recess is recess has opposed The contacts 30' and '31 46 in thebase'17. Th

fiat walls 47 and 48 extending at substantially right angles to thecontacts 30 and 31, and is also provided and .50 which engage with flatportions 49 the tips of the bent.

portion 34 which engages the shaft i spring contacts 29 are exactduplispring contact portions 35 to prevent reverse rotation as indicatedin dotted lines, Fig. 3. The contact has a binding plate portion '51 inwhich is threaded a binding screw 52.

which retards them with respect to the shaft 38. This bending andretarding of the spring contact portions continues until the tips of theportions 35 pass a plane through the axis of the shaft 28 perpendicularto the contacts 30 and 31. Shortly after this the spring contactportions 35 will be released and due to their bent condition and theirretardation with respect to the shaft 28, will snap suddenly to theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, breaking the circuit suddenlyand preventing arcing.

A similar action of the spring contact portions 35 takes place in theirmovement from the dotted line position of Fig. 3. to the full lineposition, the portions 35 beingbent orq doubled up and retarded untiltheir tips pass a plane through the axis of the shaft 28 perpendicularto the walls 47 and 48, when they will be released suddenly and snapinto engagement with the contacts 30 and 31. The spring contact isprevented from reverse rotation by engagement of the tips of the contactwith the walls 47 and 18 and with the slot portions 49- and 50.

The ratchet connection between the shaft 28 and sleeve 32 and the leafspring permits the shaft 28 to be turned backward without turning thespring contact, the projections 39 sliding up the sloping sides of theteeth 38 and the spring 40 yielding to allow the necessary endwisemovement of the shaft 28.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 another form of shaft and spring contact isshown, in which the spring contact is secured directly to the shaft andthe switch key is secured onto the shaft so that it unscrews from theshaft when turned in a direction opposite the direction in which thespring contact member rotates.

In this form the insulating base 17 and the bearing plate 33 may be thesame as in the form of Fi s. 1 to 10.

The sha t 53 is split at 54 to receive the leaf spring contacts 55, 55and the switch key 56 is screwed onto the split threaded end 57 of theshaft 53 to hold the contacts in place. If the key is turned in thewrong direction, it simply unscrews from the shaft.

In this form of switch as well as in the form of Figs. 1.to 10, thetension in the leaf spring contacts may be such as to tend to hold thefree ends of the spring contacts away from the fixed contact, there willbe a double break in the circuit, lessening the tendency to arcing.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A snap switch comprising a substantiallyfiat contact, a substantially flat insulated' surface in a planesubstantially perpendicular; to the plane of said contact, a rotatableshaft, said flat surface and said flat contact each extending on bothsides of planes through the axis of; said shaft per-- pendicular to saidplanes respectively and having their intersection substantially parallelto said axis, and a bent leaf spring contact carried by said shaft,having a free tip portion moved by said shaft into contact, in contactand out of contact with respect to said flat contact, and with respectto said insulated surface.

2. A snap switch comprising a substan-. tially flat contact, asubstantially fiat insulated surface in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the plane of said contact, a rotatable shaft, said flatsurface and said flat contact each extending'on both sides of planesthroughout the axis of said shaft perendicular to said planesrespectively and iaving their intersection substantially parallel tosaid axis, and albent leaf spring contact carried by said shaft, havinga free tip portion moved by said shaftinto contact, in contact and outof contact with respect to said fiat contact, andwith respect to saidinsulated surface, said tip snapping away from said fiat contact intoengagement with said insulated surface shortly after it passes the planethrough the axis perpendicular to the plane of the flat contact, andsnapping away from said insulated surface shortly after it passes theplane through said axis perpendicular to said insulated surface.

3. A snap switch com rising a rotatable shaft, two substantially Hatcontacts on opposite sides of said shaft, two substantially flatinsulated surfaces on opposite sides of said shaft lying in planessubstantially perpendicular to the planes of said contacts, said flatsurfaces and said flat contacts each extending on both sides of planesthrough the axis of said shaft perpendicular to said surfaces andcontacts res ectively and having their intersections su stantiallyparallel to said axis, and a bent leaf spring contact carried by saidshafthaving two free tip portions moved by said shaft into contact, incontact and out of contact with saidfiat contacts and with saidinsulated surfaces, said tips snapping away from said flat contacts andflat surfaces respectively shortly after they pass said perpendicularplanes.

'4. A switch comprising a first contact, a

and outer bent leaf spring contact members movedby said-sha carried bysaid shaft, the tip of the outer one of said spring contact membersbeing t into contact, in contact and out of contact with respect to saidfirst contact. y

5. A switch comprisinga first contact, a

rotatable -shaft, and two superposedfinner' outer bent leaf springcontact member's and carried by said shaft, the tip of- .the outer oneof said spring contact members being moved by said shaft into contact,in'contact spring members and out of contact with respect to said firstcontact, the tension in said belng such as to tend to hold their tipsseparated.

6. A switch comprisinga first contact, a' I two superposed inner andouter bent leaf spring contact members rotatable shaft, and

carried by said'shaft, the tip of the'outer one of said spring contactmem ers being moved by said shaft into contact, in contact and out ofcontact with respect to said first contact, each spring member having asemi-circular portion embracing said shaft, and a sleeve membersurroundlng said semi-circular por-' tions for holding them onthe'shaft, said sleeve member having an opening in its side throughwhich said leaf members extend.

7. A switch comprising a first contact, a rotatable shaft, and twosuperposed inner and outer bent leaf s ring contact members carried bysaid sha the tip of the outer one of said springcontact members beingmoved by said shaft into contact, in contact 5 its side through whichtend, said shaft and sleeve having cooperate I carried by saidshaft,-the ti I of said sprlngcontact mem lar portions for holding themon the shaft,

said sleeve member having an opening in sald leaf members exing ratchetmembers whereby said shaft will members in one direction only.

8. A switch comprising a first contact, a rotatableshaft, and twosuperposed inner and outer bent leaf spring contact members of the outerone ers being moved by'said shaft into contact, in contact and out ofcontact with respect to said first contact, each spring member having asemi-circularportion embracing said shaft, and a sleeve membersurrounding said semi-circuncause' rotation of said sleeve and spring'lar portions for holding them on the shaft,

scribed my name.

REUBEN? B. BENJAMIN.

opening in its members exsaid sleeve and spring

